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Deborah Coleman, Candye Kane, Dani Wilde - Blues Caravan, Guitar’d and Feathered

Ruf Records

17 songs; 69:04 minutes  - Highly Recommended

Growing up in an urban community, listening to real soul singers makes it hard to listen to soul singers of today. Candye Kane comes close to that sound but she lacks the soul consistent with the likes of Tina Turner, Coco Taylor and Aretha. Since it’s a different era now, what’s called blues and soul today has it’s own identity and value like when the Stones attempted to imitate the Motown sound. This seventeen song recording project takes several chances when it comes to reaching out to blues lovers. Kane’s grown up style of delivering seductive messages in her music, tastefully punches wholes in a market saturated by watered down female singers. Without her vocal identity and power the album may get lost in a pile of typical jazz artists making a living as blues artists, that seems to be the trend sweeping the globe these days. Everybody knows Big Cat loves a dose of blues and a beautiful women now and then, to get them both in one cool little package is a beautiful thing.

My favorite track on the CD is this laid back tune “Jesus Just Left Chicago”. There are other sides I like too, but this one has a nasty groove and infectious hook that reels you in like an eight pound catfish. Not sure why their label insisted on putting the three on this one, after a couple shots of Patron the flow seems out of balance for some reason. I would like to hear each singer in separate spaces, but that’s just me… The singing quality on this collection of tunes was above average, however the real shining moments on the album came from the good musicians that played on most of the live songs. “Whole Lotta Love” had this repetitive John Lee Hooker style like a few other tunes on the disc, but definitely turned out to be one of the better toe tapers from start to finish. Now what ever Big Cat says goes, I know times are tough but this is a go getter if you have the cash. This is one of those records you crank up while flipping them ribs and links, with ice cold beer chilling in the back of the old icebox.

Eldrige “Big Cat” Tolefree is a Blues musician and writer. Visit his website at www.bigcatentertainment.com

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